Expansible contour diaper



Nov. 3, 1959 E. E. WOODWARD 2,910,982.

EXPANSIBLE CONTOUR DIAPER Filed Sept. 26, 1957 50/ TH E. PVOODWA/PDINVENTOR.

BY wwww Arramvsr United st te Patent 2,910,982. EXPANSIBLE CONTOURDIAPER Edith E. Woodward, Santa Monica,-Calif. Application September 26,1957, Serial No. 686,406

' 9 Claims. (31. 128-284 This invention relates generally to infantclothing, and more particularly has to do with an improved baby diapercharacterized as being expansible so as to continuously fit an infantfrom its birth to around its third year, the improved diaper also havinga number of other associated features which contribute to the increasedutility of the article.

Speaking generally with respect to the design of conventional diapers, Ihave observed that their rectangular shape possesses disadvantages whenit comes to folding such diapers to fit different sized infants.Furthermore, conventional diapers are prone to bunch or gather beon thefront panel to hold the diaper in its completely expanded condition.

These and other features and objects of the invention, as well as thedetails of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understoodfrom the following detailed 7 description of the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the .expansible diaper folded in its mostcompact adjusted form;

. Fig. 2 is a front view of the diaper in intermediate expandedcondition; r

'Fig. 3 is a front view of the diaper'in fully expanded condition;

Fig. 4 shows the diaper padding;

Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the padding is connected to theinner liner of the diaper body;

Fig. 6 shows the completely extended outside of the assembled diaper;and Fig. 7 is a view taken on line 77 of Fig. 6.

Referring first to Figs. 4 through 7 of the drawings showing the mannerin which the diaper is constructed of outing flannel, the diaper bodygenerally indicated at V 10 in Fig. 7 includes three similar shapedsections of tween the infants legs presenting the danger of bowing thelatter as a result of continued use of such diapers. Finally, the largesized pins commonly holding together the sides of conventional diapersare often caused to inadvertently prick the infants skin and therebypresenting added danger to the baby.

Accordingly, I have developed the present expansible diaper in an effortto solve all of the above discussed problems and to add to theconvenience of the parent fitting the diaper on the infant I havedesigned the articles so asto be very easily and quickly fitted on theinfant and adjustable so as to grow with the baby. My new diaper may becharacterized as an expansible contour diaper, and it comprises whenextended flat a series of superimposed layers of outing flannel havingtheir edges turned inward and sewed together, andhaving multiple outingflannel'padding sewed within the diaper. body.

When folded to fit thesmallest size infant, the diaper comprises anupwardly folded upright body of soft absorbent material .having frontand rear body panels. latter form an upward opening for the infantstrunk and two opposite side "openings to receive the infants legs. Thefront body panel is folded downwardly so that a front portion thereoffaces outwardly and the terminal remainder thereof is confined behindthat front portion, a r

pair of opposite side ears on the terminal remainder being foldedtoward'one another to overlie the front panel while concealed at theinside of the diaper. The rear panel has a pair of opposite side earsfolded toward one another to overlie the front panel above the level ofthe sideopenings so that the latter are completely defined by. the frontand rear panels and the rear panel ears. Finally, means arenprovided forreleasably holding the rear panelears folded over the front panel,critically located belt loops and snap tapes being provided for thispurpose.

As a result of this diaper construction, the front panel is downwardlyadjustable after releasing the snap tape so as to lower the upward fold,thereby enlarging the leg openings of the diaper. After downwardadjustment of the front panel has continued so as to eliminate thedownward fold, the snap tape is again connectible through another beltloop on :the front panel so as to hold the rear panel side ears to thefront panel thereby holding the The outing flannel comprising a figuredoutside 11, a plain inner side 12, and a plain inner liner 13, all ofwhich have their edges sewed together and turned inward as indicated at14. Stitched to the inner liner and conforming to the shape of thecrotch section 15 thereof is an otherwise diamond-shaped piece of outingflannel 16 the sides 17 of which have been cut away to conform to theconcave opposite edges 18 of the inner liner. Alternately overlappingsmaller pieces of outing flannel 19 are sewed to section 16 so as to becarried between the latter and the inner liner 13 all as better shown inFig. 7, so as to form the padding referred to above.

Referring now to Fig. 6 showing the assembled diaper body instretched-out condition, the intermediate or crotch section 15 thereofis generally narrowed as indicated so as to remain smooth when foldedupwardly at 20'as viewed in Figs. 1 through 3, and as a result there isno bulk between the infants legs exerting sideward pressure tending tohow the latter. The diaper has front and rear panels 21 and 22 whenfolded as shown in Figs. 1 through 3, and they merge in the crotchregion indicated in Fig. 6. Each of the panels has a pair of oppositeside cars 23 and 24 respectively, and these form with the panels theopposite side concavities previously indicated at 18 as shown in Figs. 5and 6. Furthermore, each of the ears on the rear panel carries a beltloop 25 typically made of twill tape and carried on the figured outsideof the diaper, and a pair of loops 125 on the inside of the diaper. Twoadditional belt loops 26 and 27 are centrally and longitudinally spacedat the outside of the diaper,

loop 26 being spaced between loops 25, and loop 27 being carried at theoutside of the diaper crotch region.

Referring now to Fig. 1 wherein the diaper is shown in its minimum sizecondition, the front and rear panels 21 and 22 extend upwardly from theupward fold 20, with the belt loops 25 on the rear panel ears 24 andalso through the belt loop 27 on the front panel so as to hold the. earsand-the front panel in the relative position shown.

The front panel is downwardly folded at 31 so that the front panel formsa front panel portion 32 and an inwardly.

facing terminal remainder carrying the front panel earsfolded at 33inwardly and toward one another in con cealed position as indicated bythe broken lines in Fig. l. The diaper folded as shown in Fig. l formsrelativesrnall leg openings 34 at opposite sides and a trunkopening 35,all of whichare adjustable in size as will be explained in connectionwith Figs. 2 and 3. V In Fig. 2 the upward fold 2i) has been lowered bylowering the front panel 21 thereby elirninating'the downward fold 31,so that the terminal edge 36 of the front panel is at the same level asthe upper edge of the rear panel. The snap tape after having beenreleased from the belt loop 27 to permit lowering of the front panel nowextends through the belt loop 2;6 to hold the front panel and the rearpanel side ears 24 in interconnected condition as shown. As a result ofsuch lowering of the front panel the side openings 34 are nowconsiderably enlarged while the trunk opening 35 remains of the same sze. it e e' r nwn e of la e a ly sna ed p 30on the two pieces of snaptape 28 and 29, the trunlg opening 35 may be graduallyenlarged by firstreleasing the snaps and then connecting themsorthat the ends of the snaptape are closer together, ie are closer to the central belt loop 26 asviewed in Fig. I,

Such enlargement of the trunk opening 35 is accommodated bytheoverlapping relation of the front and rear panel ears 23 and 24-, thelatter being unfolded asshown inFig. 3 to permit maximum enlargement ofthe trunk opening. At this time, the belt loops 12 5 on the rear panelears will themselves receive the unfolded front panel ears 23, firmlyholding them against loosening'and thereby maintaining the contour ofthe leg and trunk openings. I have thus provided a diaper capable ofbeing fitted; to a baby at birth, and which can be continuouslygfittedto the baby as it grows up through about the third year of life. No pinsare needed since the adjustable. snaptape holds the diaper firmly on theinfant. Thereis no danger of bulky material between the babys legscausingbowing thereof, and there ,is sufficientpadding to serve thebaby-.s needs. Finally, the outing flannelatthe outside of the diaperisfigured so that the diaper in fact is a dress article. Iclaim: y l. An,expansible contour ;diaper, comprisingan ,upright upwardly foldedsheet-like bodyof soft, absorbent material having front and rearbodypanels forming side openings adapted to receive an-infants legs.therethrough, said front panel being downwardly folded above the levelof said upward fold so that a front portion thereof faces outwardlyandthe remainder thereof isconcealed behind said frontportion, said rearpanel having apair of oppositeside ears folded toward one another tooverlie said front panelabove the level of said side openings, saidfront panelbeing downwardlyadjustable-to lower said upward fold wherebysaid leg openings are enlarged, said front panel having a pair of-narrowopposite side ears folded toward one another to overliesaid front panelbelow the level of said rear panel ears, loops carriedby said rear panelears for receiving and supporting ;said front panel ears after saiddownward adjustment ofthe front panel and after unfolding of said frontpanel ears, and means for releasably holding said rear panel ears foldedover said front panel before and after adjustment of said front panel. VH H i v2. An expansible contour diaper, comprising an uprightupwardlyfolded sheet likebody of soft absorbent material having frontand rear body panels forming side openings adapte' to receive an infantslegs therethrough, said front panel being downwardly folded above thelevel of said upward fold so that a front portion thereof facesoutwardly and the remainder thereof is concealed behind said frontportion, said rear panel having a pair of opposite side ears foldedtoward one another to overlie said front panel above the level of saidside openings, said;

front panel having a pair of narrow opposite side ears folded toward oneanother to overlie said front panel below the level of said rear panelears, loops carried by said rear panel ears for receiving and supportingsaid front panel ears after said downward adjustment of the front paneland after unfolding of said front panel ears, and means for releasablyholding said rear panel ears folded over said front panel before andafter adjustment of said front panel, the upward extentof said ;frontand rear panels immediately adjacent said upward fold being entirelysmooth. J H

3. An. expansiblecontoun diaper, comprising an upright upwardly foldedsheet-like body of soft absorbent material having front and rear bodypanels forming side openings adapted to receive an infants legstherethrough, said front panel being downwardly folded above the levelof said upward fold so that a front portion thereof faces outwardly andthe remainder thereof is concealed behind said front portion,.said rearpanel having a pair of opposite side ears folded toward one another tooverlie said front panel above the level of said side openings, saidfront panel being downwardly adjustable to lower said upward foldwhereby said leg openings are enlarged, and

means for releasably holding said rear panel .ears folded over saidfront panel before and after adjustment of said front panel, said frontpanel having a pair of opposite side ears folded toward one another tooverlie said front panel below the level of said rear panel ears, saidmeans being releasable to permit elevation of said front panel ears tothe level of said rear panel ears and relative spreading of the ears ofeach pair, and loops carried by said real panel ears for receiving andsupporting said front panel ears after said elevation thereof duringdifferent front panel being downwardly adjustable to lower said iconditions of spreading of said front panel ears relative to said rearpanel ears. .7

4. An expansible contour diaper, comprising an upright upwardly foldedsheet-like body of soft absorbent material having front and rear bodypanels forming an upward opening and two opposite side openings adaptedrespectively to, receive an infants trunk and legs therethrough, saidbody including a plurality of superimposed layers of flannel cloth, saidfront panel being downwardly folded above the level of said upward foldso that a front portion thereof faces outwardly and the terminalremainder thereof is concealed behind said front portion, said rearpanel having a pair of opposite sidelears folded toward one another tooverlie said front panel portion above the level of said side openingsso that said openings are completely defined by said panels and ears,said front panel being downwardly adjustable to lower said upward foldwhereby said leg openings are enlarged, said front panel having a .pairof narrow opposite side ears folded toward one another to overlie saidfront panel below the level of said' rear panel ears,lcops .carriedbysaid rear panel ears for receiving andsupporting, said front panel earsafter said downward adjustment of the front panel and after unfoldingofsaid front panel ears, and means for releasably holding said rearpanel ears folded over said front panel before and after adjustment ofsaid front panel.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 in which said means arereleasable to permit elevation of saidfront panel ears to the level ofsaid rear panel ears and relative spreading of the ears of each pairduring lowering of said upward fold whereby said upward opening isenlarged during enlargement of said opposite side openings.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 in which said body whencompletely unfolded and extending in a flat plane has a pair of oppositeside concavities formed by said ears and the remainder of said body.

7. The invention as defined in claim 5 in Which said means include abelt loop carried by said front panel at the level of said rear panelears, and interconnected belting carried by said rear panel ears andextending through said loop.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 including a second belt loopcarried by said front panel portion at the level of said front panelears and adapted to be elevated with said front panel ears for receivingsaid belting therethrough.

9. The invention as defined in claim 7 comprising snap tape carried byeach of said ears and interconnected snaps carried by said tape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSCondylis May 8, 1928 Fr-idolph July 5, 1938 Marcos May 20, 1941 BrownMay 19, 1942 Sonnenberg June 6, 1950 Laser Sept. 18, 1951

